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From an award-winning food writer comes this intimate portrait of London--the global epicenter of cuisine--with 100 recipes from the city's best restaurants, dessert boutiques, tea and coffee houses, cocktail lounges, and hole-in-the-wall gems--all lovingly adapted for the home kitchen.

Once known for its watery potatoes, stringy mutton, and grayed vegetables, London is now considered to be the most vibrant city on the global food map. The London Cookbook reflects the contemporary energy and culinary rebirth of this lively, hip, sophisticated, and very international city. It is a love letter to the city and an insider's guide to its most delicious haunts, as well as a highly curated and tested collection of the city's best recipes. This timeless book explores London's incredibly diverse cuisine through an eclectic mix of dishes, from The Cinnamon Club's Seared Aubergine Steaks with Sesame and Tamarind to the River Cafe's Tagliatelle with Lemon, and from Tramshed's Indian Rock Chicken Curry to Nopi's Sage and Cardamom Gin. Striking the perfect balance between armchair travel and approachable home cooking, The London Cookbook is both a resource and keepsake, a book as much for the well-travelled cook as for the dreaming novice.

About The Author

ALEKSANDRA CRAPANZANO is the recipient of the James Beard Foundation M.F.K. Fisher Award for distinguished writing, and her work has appeared in several anthologies including Best Food Writing 2013. She writes the "A Little Something Sweet" dessert column for the Wall Street Journal and frequently writes their lengthy "Mega Meal" page....

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Reviews

Rated 3 out of
5 by
Kristi from
Great bookThe Bakewell Tart is fantastic. Some of the ingredients may be found in specialty stores but I try substitute some of the ingredients and it does turn out well. This book has recipes from restaurants all over London.

Date published: 2017-09-12

Rated 2 out of
5 by
nikkitheknack from
Great-tasting recipes, but good luck finding anything affordableThis cookbook promises you all the best of London's cuisine...but does it deliver?
If you've ever wanted to take a trip to London, you might know that it has a great culinary culture - a drastic change from the bland way we thought of England's food not too long ago.
The London Cookbook contains recipes from all over London, but it seems to be mostly posh recipes. I had a really hard time finding any recipes that I either had the ingredients for, or could afford the ingredients for.
In fact, in keeping with my rule of three when I review cookbooks, I managed to make the only three recipes that I found to be affordable in this entire book.
The first things I made were the Chocolate Squares (p.218). These were pretty simple to make, and they're basically delicious brownies. They're really rich in flavour, and are great with a dollop of ice cream on top. They were a hit with my family and I'd definitely make them again!
Next up, I made the Summer Pasta with Crème Fraîche, Arugula, and Lemon (p.52). As the title suggests, this is a great dish for summer. It was fairly straightforward to make this, with the exception of the cème faîche. I couldn't find any at the store, so I attempted to make some at home, which didn't work out exactly as I'd hoped, though that part of the sauce did taste great. Not being a big arugula fan, this wasn't my favourite meal, but I think anyone who likes arugula would love this.
Finally, I made the Shrimp Aguachili Ceviche with Jalapeño and Citrus (p.11). I was so excited to make this because I don't generally make many fancy things and this one sounded like an interesting concept. You marinade raw shrimp in a brine of citrus juices, and the citrus is supposed to essentially cook the shrimp. I had a lot of problems cooking the shrimp. When I realized the shrimp was still mostly raw after the allotted sitting time, I left it for longer. Eventually, I gave up on the citrus process and boiled the shrimp. This dish is absolutely delicious - it's a great appetizer (it would be so refreshing during summer!) and I'd definitely make it again, minus the whole citrus-cooking process.
This book gives you a feeling for the upper-class, stylish vibe in London, but to the average people like me - good luck affording any of the recipes. This cookbook would be best suited to someone with deep pockets who's interested in great-sounding dishes!

Date published: 2016-11-07

Extra Content

Read from the Book

yellowfin tuna spaghetti puttanescaSERVES 2Angela was one of the first major female chefs in London. The number, at long last, is on the rise. But for much of the last twenty years, it was just Ruth Rogers, the late Rose Gray, Sally Clarke, Skye Gyngell, and Angela. The circle was indeed a tiny one, though it was also a very influential one. Angela’s cooking is perhaps the most classic, if also—at Murano—the most elaborate . The food there is the kind of highly refined Italian that makes tossing a bowl of pasta with pesto seem almost savage. It is extraordinarily good. But at the more informal Café Murano, Angela lets down her guard and the food is livelier. This spicy, fiery puttanesca is paired with a beautiful confit of yellowfin tuna. Capers and olives give heat and texture, while the confit offers silken luxury. 1 (7-ounce) fillet yellowfin tuna 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 14 ounces canned whole San Marzano tomatoes, chopped 5 salt-packed anchovies, rinsed and patted dry 20 capers, rinsed 3 pinches of dried red chile flakes Salt and pepper, to taste Aromatics, to taste (fresh bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, and garlic) Vegetable oil, for cooking 12 ounces dried spaghetti 10 black olives, pitted and chopped 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1⁄2 cup freshly grated ParmesanWarm the olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add 2 of the garlic cloves and sauté until golden, but not brown. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the anchovies, capers, and chiles, and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper and set aside, off heat. Place the whole piece of tuna in another saucepan with a high rim and cover with aromatics. Pour in enough vegetable oil to completely cover the tuna. To confit the tuna, bring the oil to a simmer over low heat and gently cook until it flakes easily.Transfer the tuna to a cutting board. Discard the vegetable oil. Cook the spaghetti in generously salted water until al dente.Reserve 1⁄4 cup of the tomato sauce and set aside. Add the just-drained spaghetti to the pan with the remaining tomato sauce and toss over medium heat for 30 seconds or so. Divide the pasta between two wide, warmed bowls. Cut the tuna in half and place a half atop each serving of pasta. Spoon the reserved tomato sauce over the top. Scatter with the black olives and parsley, and garnish with a grind of black pepper and a bit of the grated Parmesan. Serve immediately with the remaining Parmesan, if so desired.

Food & Wine Magazine's Best of the YearOne of Eater.com's Most Anticipated CookbooksSweet Paul's Books I'm Loving Right NowVogue Gift GuideCooking Light Holiday Gift Guide"I can't imagine anyone as perfect as Aleksandra for the task of capturing the amazing spirit (and surprises) of the new gastronomic London. A celebrated food writer in the U.S., she also happens to know our city like the back of her hand, writes beautifully, and has the wit and imagination needed to uncover the city's best kept culinary secrets, its variety, and its flavors. She has great taste--in every sense of the word. It doesn't hurt that she's a great cook, too. This is the moment for her book, and I guarantee it will be the one everybody wants to own." —Ruth Rogers, owner of The River Café "Thank you, Aleksandra, for The London Cookbook. I'm ashamed to admit I once avoided London as a dining destination at all costs - but I am equally proud to acknowledge that it has become my single favorite culinary destination, in no small part due to its remarkable community of hospitality professionals, many of whom are featured in this beautiful book. This winning collection of recipes will keep me yearning - and satisfied -between my trips to London!" —Danny Meyer, Union Square Hospitality Group, New York When I say this cookbook does justice to one of the world’s most delicious cities, that’s no small feat. Aleksandra Crapanzano deftly captures the pulse and vitality of London’s new food landscape while honoring its culinary architects. —Dan Barber, co-owner and executive chef of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and author of The Third Plate Aleksandra Crapanzano takes you by the hand, leading you on a whirlwind tour of one of the world's great food cities. Irresistible portraits of the fascinating people who are changing the way we eat. And recipes that make you want to run right into the kitchen. —Ruth Reichl, author of Delicious, and former editor in chief of Gourmet magazine“London’s favourite restaurants offering their favourite recipes: what a delicious idea! This is as much about the vibrancy of eating in London as it is a working cookbook. Great stuff!” —Yotam Ottolenghi“Aleksandra Crapanzano’s celebration of the new, vibrant, immensely creative, joyful, London restaurant world, of the best chefs behind it and their glorious dishes, captures so well the spirit and the flavors that have made the city a real capital of food.” —Claudia Roden"Food writers and journalists increasingly agree that British food has shed its bad reputation, and Americans are clamoring for cookbooks from London eateries such as Ottolenghi and the River Café. In this superbly written and photographed cookbook, award-winning food writer Crapanzano surveys significant shifts in London cuisine, noting the influence of chefs such as Fergus Henderson and Ruth Rogers. Readers need not have traveled to London to appreciate recipes such as Korean steak and shoestring fries, farro and porcini soup, scallops with corn puree and chile oil, and garam masala Christmas pudding with nutmeg custard. These and other dishes have been sourced from many popular restaurants and adapted for home kitchens. VERDICT Crapanzano perfectly captures all that’s exciting about the people, places, and foods that make up London’s modern culinary scene. After reading this cookbook, home cooks may find themselves planning a London vacation."- Library Journal STARRED Review"Crapanzano’s book takes readers on a journey through the current London restaurant scene. The book is filled with impressive and tempting recipes, along with engaging stories of the chefs behind the restaurants. Crapanzano, a food journalist and winner of the James Beard Foundation’s MFK Fisher Award for distinguished writing, engages the reader with wit and warmth. She starts her delightful book with an intoxicating history of the modern London restaurant scene—a useful reminder that the capital city has been an exciting place to eat for more years than naysayers might admit. Flavors from all over the world—Mexico, India, Italy, Japan—have made themselves at home in London and are reflected in the broad range of recipes that fill the book. Travelers to London would do well to choose this cookbook as a guidebook for touring the city’s restaurants. For those resigned to armchair travel, don’t despair: head for the kitchen. This book offers many unexpected and innovative recipes, and the directions and procedures have been modified to suit the American home kitchen."- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "The tired old sterotype of bad British food is being dispelled. The London Cookbook shows how, with recipes that are sophisticated yet cook-friendly from the city's best chefs and restaurants."- COOKING LIGHT "Food writer Aleksandra Crapanzano, recipient of the James Beard Foundation’s MFK Award for Distinguished Writing, sure has been around the block — her words have appeared in the likes of the Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Marie Claire, andTravel & Leisure. Her latest venture has taken her to Ten Speed Press, where she’s captured what she calls the "soul" of one of the most diverse food landscapes in the world — London — for The London Cookbook. More than 100 recipes are laid out in the book, featuring renowned restaurants ranging from corner spots to fine dining establishments. Crapanzano promises to deliver an experience for experts of London’s gastronomic scene as well as travelers new to the city."- EATER NATIONAL "Like the best city-oriented cookbooks, The London Cookbook captures the culinary topography of the British capital in a carefully curated collection of recipes culled from the city’s best chefs. Each recipe is preluded by a description about the restaurant and the chef responsible for the creation. After being relegated to the lowest rungs of the world dining scene for generations, today’s British culinary traditions—as interpreted by London’s most talented chefs—demonstrate a whole new world view: one that embraces the many facets of the city’s vast diversity."- DEPARTURES"In this superbly written and photographed cookbook, award-winning food writer Crapanzano perfectly captures all that's exciting about the people, places, and foods that comprise London's modern culinary scene. Home cooks may soon find themselves planning a London vacation."- LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST COOKBOOKS OF 2016